The IdeaPad laptops were announced in January 2008.[1] The first three models in the product line were the Y710, the Y510, and the U110. Some of the features that defined these first three models were widescreens, VeriFace facial recognition, frameless screens, touch controls, and Dolby speaker systems.[1]

The IdeaPad design marked a deviation from the business-oriented ThinkPad laptops, towards a more consumer-oriented look and feel.[2] Among these changes were a glossy screen and the absence of the traditional ThinkPad TrackPoint.[3] Notebook Review said the keyboard had a ‘"distinctive ThinkPad feel" and "the touchpad and touchpad buttons were smooth and responsive."[4]

The IdeaPad Yoga Tablet is an Android tablet with a multi-mode device with a rear kickstand designed to allow it to be placed upright for viewing videos and other media or tilted for easier text entry. The Yoga Tablet has a round battery that can last as long as 18 hours. It comes in models with 10-inch and 8-inch screens. Internal storage varies from 16 gigabytes to 32 gigabytes.[5] An upgraded version was added in February 2014, called Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10 HD+, which featured a Full HD display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.

The Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro is an Ultrabook-class convertible device that can be used as both a tablet and laptop computer. The Yoga 2 Pro is thinner than the Yoga 13 and has tapered edges giving it an appearance more like a conventional ultrabook laptop vs the earlier model's pleasing "book-like" symmetrical design. . At 1.39 kilograms, the Yoga 2 Pro is significantly lighter than the Yoga 13. The Yoga 2 Pro has a subtle rubber trim around the edge of its top half in order to prevent slipping on hard surfaces when in tent mode. The new design is easier to pick up and hold than Lenovo's previous generation of Yoga devices. The Yoga 2 Pro comes with a backlit keyboard. Unlike earlier Yoga products, the home button is now a touch-key on the bottom center of the display. Lenovo moved the power button away from the front and to the side in order to prevent accidental key presses.[6][7]

The Yoga Tablet 2 with AnyPen is a Windows-based tablet computer with an 8-inch 1080p display. It weighs .43 kg and Lenovo claims it has a battery life of 15 hours. Lenovo's AnyPen technology allows the use of pencils, ballpoint pens, and other traditional writing instruments to write on the screen like a stylus. The Yoga Tablet 2 was released in January of 2015.[8]

The Yoga 3 comes in versions with 11.6-inch and 14-inch screens, both with 1080p resolution. The screens can rotate 360 degrees for use as a laptop or tablet. The Yoga 3 can also be placed in "tent mode" where it acts as a stand for itself while hiding its keyboard for activities like watching movies. It uses an Intel Core M processor. The 14-inch model is offered with Core i5 and Core i7 versions. Both models can accommodate up to 8 gigabytes of memory. Configurations with up to 500 gigabytes of SSD capacity are available.[8]

The Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro is an ultra-thin Broadwell-based 13.3-inch touchscreen laptop with a hinge that allows for use as a tablet and other configurations. It uses Intel Core M processors and comes standard with solid-state drives. Its screen has 3200 pixel by 1800 pixel resolution and is multitouch capable.[9] It is 13 millimeters thick.[10] The Yoga 3 Pro's hinge differs significantly from the Yoga 2 Pro. The new all-metal hinge is referred to by Lenovo as a "watchband." It is much less bulky and forms a continuous curved shape from the chassis of the laptop to the bottom of the screen. It has six mounting points as opposed to two for a more solid feel and structural strength.[11]

In a review for PC World, Elias Plastiras wrote, "It's super-light and easy to handle as a laptop and as a tablet, and it feels good to type on for long periods of time. Basically, as far as user comfort is concerned, it's excellent. That said, it does have some issues. It can tend to get noticeably warm when you're streaming video or performing other tasks that make plenty of use of the CPU and Wi-Fi adapter, and the battery life is also not great, primarily due to the large screen resolution that needs a lot of power to be bright."

The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 is a hybrid notebook/tablet computer created by Lenovo and first announced at the International CES 2012 in January. The 13-inch Yoga was released by Lenovo on Oct. 26, 2012 at a price of $1,099. Best Buy released an alternative version of the Yoga 13 with an Intel Core i5 processor (vs. Lenovo's base model's i3 processor) and no Microsoft Office (whereas Lenovo's base model includes Microsoft Office). Its smaller cousin, Yoga 11, which runs Windows RT (as opposed to the Yoga 13, running Windows 8), was released in December 2012 for $799.[12][13] With products such as Yoga 11 and 13, Lenovo has been able to take more than 40% of the American retail market of computers priced at least $900 that run Microsoft's Windows 8.[14]

In an editors' review, CNET stated that, "The Yoga works best as a full-time laptop and part-time tablet, because when it's folded back into a slate, you still have the keyboard pointing out from the back of the system. Although the keyboard and touch pad are deactivated in this mode, it's still not ideal. Plus, despite the hype, Windows 8 is still not a 100-percent tablet-friendly OS, and there are some frustrations that span all the Windows 8 tablet-style devices we've tested. The Yoga certainly seems to be everyone's choice for a great Windows 8 ambassador -- both Microsoft and Intel have touted it as a best-in-class example, and Best Buy is currently featuring it in a television ad." [15]

The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 is a hybrid laptop/tablet Windows RT based computer released in late 2012. The Yoga 11 and Yoga 13 computers both get their names from their unique design that enables the devices to rotate their screen backwards to become tablet devices. According to PC Pro, "The hybrid design is immensely flexible. Prop the Yoga 11 up in 'tent mode', and the touchscreen can be angled just so. Lay the keyboard facing the desk, and the screen can be tilted back and forth while sturdy-feeling hinges keep the display from flopping backwards. Fold the screen all the way back, and hidden magnets hold it clamped shut against the underside, transforming it into a tablet." [16] The Yoga 11 has slim chassis with a matte orange exterior finish and an all-black interior that weighs 2.79 pounds. It has a full-size QWERTY keyboard. According to TechRadar, the "large, well-cushioned keys offer a far better experience than Microsoft Surface, and there's a large trackpad as well." [17]

The Yoga 11 is powered by a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 that runs at a maximum clockspeed of 1.3 GHz and features an integrated graphics processor. The Tegra 3 is also found in numerous Android-based tablets. 2GB of RAM comes standard. This relatively small amount of RAM is sufficient due to the reduced memory requirements of Windows RT applications. The Yoga 11 is sold with solid-state drives in 32GB and 64GB capacities. The Yoga 11 runs the Windows RT operating system. Microsoft Office 2013 ships pre-installed.[17] Like all Windows RT devices, the Yoga 11 cannot run software designed for earlier versions of Windows, only apps designed for the new Metro interface are compatible.[18] The Yoga 11 has an 11.6-inch glossy screen that makes use of in-place switching technology and runs at a resolution of 1366 x 768. The screen has a maximum brightness of only 344 nits, but has a measured contrast ratio of 1,146:1. There two USB 2.0 ports, an SD card reader, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a standard HDMI output. There is a built-in 720P webcam.

In its review TechRadar stated, "The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 is a stylish, lightweight and durable laptop that neatly doubles as a tablet. At 11 inches, it's portable and thin enough to be used in tablet form, but like its bigger brother, having the keys on the reverse affecting your grip makes it far from ideal.If you're looking for a laptop form factor for work, which doubles as a tablet for basic apps and sofa surfing, then the Yoga 11 is worth serious consideration, although we'd advise you to head to your nearest PC superstore to give it the once over. It's not for everyone, and we'd primarily recommend it to someone looking for a small Windows 8 laptop who doesn't want to miss out on enjoying all the touchscreen goodness that Windows 8 has to offer." [17]

The IdeaPad Yoga 11S is a compact ultralight hybrid notebook/tablet computer scheduled for release in 2013. Like the Yoga 13 and the Yoga 11 the Yoga 11S gets its name from its ability to take on various form factors due to its screen being mounted on a special two-way hinge. The Yoga 11S runs the full version of Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system.[19] The Yoga 11s will ship in the United States in June 2013 with a starting price of $799.[18][19]

Like other models in the IdeaPad Yoga line, the Yoga 11S has a convertible form factor. Its screen can flip into a range of positions that allow it to serve as a regular laptop and tablet device as well as being able to function in "tent mode" and "stand mode." [19] Like the Yoga 11, the 11S will be available in silver and clementine orange.[20] The Yoga 11S can be configured with processors as powerful as Intel's "Ivy Bridge" Core i7 processor, will support up to a 256GB solid-state drive, and can hold as much as 8GB of RAM. The Yoga 11S has an 11.6" display. Displays will be available with options for resolutions of 1366x768 pixels and 1600x900 pixels.[19]

CNET writes, "The 11-inch Yoga -- Lenovo's clever laptop/tablet hybrid -- had a great physical design, but ran the lame Windows RT operating system. The 13-inch Yoga ran full Windows 8, but was a bit too large for tablet duties. The upcoming Yoga 11S may be the "just right" marriage of the two: the smaller and lighter 11-inch chassis, but running full Windows 8 -- while still keeping the unique folding design." [18]

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14 is a dual-mode laptop with a 14-inch screen. Its keyboard rotates behind the screen in order to put the device into "stand mode." Stand mode brings the user closer to the screen for watching videos and using touch-enabled apps and removes the visual distraction from the keyboard.[21] Unlike the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga line of devices the keyboard does not bend back entirely to allow use as a tablet. Like other Lenovo devices such as the Yoga, the Flex has a matte, smooth lid that tapers slightly at the sides with a Lenovo logo in the upper left corner. Some models have orange accents, a feature often found in Lenovo's designs. Rubber bumpers prevent the screen from being rotated beyond 300 degrees and prevent the keyboard from contacting the table.[18]

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 10 is dual-mode laptop with a 10-inch screen. It gets its name from its lid that can fold back flat and then around 300 degrees.[22] The Flex 10's display features multitouch capability and has a resolution of 1366 by 768. Buyers can select configurations with the quad-core Intel Pentium N3510, the quad-core Celeron N2910, the dual-core Celeron N2810, or the dual=core Celeron N2805. The Pentium configuration can hold up to 4 gigabytes of RAM and the Celeron configurations can hold 2 gigabytes. The Flex 10 shares the same basic ports and design as the Flex 15 and the IdeaPad A10.[23]

According to a review from NDTV Gadgets, “It's clear that Lenovo allocated most of this device's cost to its more visible features. In terms of functionality, it is best thought of as a modern-day netbook: good enough for surfing the Web, creating basic documents and watching movies now and then, but not suitable for any serious work.”[22]

The first laptop in Lenovo’s netbookIdeaPad S Series was scheduled for launch in September 2008 but was delayed, with an estimated release date indicated as November.[24] Ultimately, the laptop was released in September in China, but in October in the United States.[25][26]

The S10 featured a 10.2-inch (260 mm) TFT active matrix 1024x576 or 1024x600 display with an 80 or 160 GB hard disk drive and 512 MB or 1 GB DDR2Random Access Memory, both of which could be upgraded via a trap door on the bottom of the netbook. The initial S10 featured 512 MB of RAM soldered to system board with an expansion SO-DIMM slot for further upgrades to 2 or 2.5 GB (2.5GB is only usable with operating system which support sparse memory regions). The processor was an Intel Atom at 1.6 GHz. They supported IEEE 802.11 b/g wireless networking and had two USB ports, an ExpressCard expansion slot, a 4-in-1 media reader, and a VGA output. These computers received positive consumer reviews,[27] and a 9/10 rating from Wired magazine.[28]

The Lenovo S10 had model numbers 4231-XYU, where "XY" identified the particular configuration.[29]

In May 2009 Lenovo introduced the S10-2, model number 2957-XYU, where XY identifies the configuration. While the S10-2 shared many traits with the S10/S10e,[30] it featured a new physical design, adds a third USB port, omits the ExpressCard34 slot, and enlarges the keyboard and touchpad.[31] It was available in black, white, pink and grey, and with larger HD and SSD sizes.[32]

The Lenovo IdeaPad S215 is priced at $379.99, powered by a quad-core AMD A4 processor, its 11.6-inches, has a 1,366-by-768 display, a full keyboard and touchpad for input, and two mousepads. It contains two USB 2.0 ports, a USB 3.0 port a headphone/microphone jack, a 2-in-1 card reader, and the power port, HDMI video output, and a LAN port, 720p webcam and microphone array embedded in the display's upper bezel, and Wi-Fi b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0 networking circuitry.

The first laptops in Lenovo’s IdeaPad Y Series were showcased in CES 2008.[1] These were the IdeaPad Y710 and Y510 laptops, with 17-inch and 15-inch screens, respectively.[36] The most significant change to the laptops was the more consumer-oriented appearance – a marked difference from ThinkPads.[2]

The Y70 is a gaming laptop with a 17-inch multitouch screen. As of February 2015, the Y70 base model had a 2.5 gigahertz Intel Core i5 processor, 8 gigabytes of RAM, a 1-terabyte SSD/hard drive hybrid, and a 2-gigabyte Nvidia GTX 860M video processor. The display has 1080p resolution and LED backlighting. The Y70 scored 4.5 hours of battery life on MobileMark's Office Productivity Test but is only able to achieve a battery life of about 2.5 hours for gaming.[38]

A review from Notebook Review said the following about the model, “We’re happy to recognize the Lenovo IdeaPad Y70 Touch with our Editor’s Choice award for being a great large screen entertainment notebook.”[39]

The Y40 and Y50 are respectively 14-inch and 15-inch laptops designed specifically for gaming. 1080p displays come standard on both models but the Y50 has an option for a 4K display with a resolution of 3840 by 2160. Both come with options for multi-touch displays. Both make use of Intel Core i7 processors. The Y40 uses an AMD Radeon R9 M270 video card with 2GB of VRAM; The Y50 uses an Nvidia GeForce GTX 860M video card with options for 2GB and 4GB of VRAM. They come standard with 8GB of RAM (expandable up to 16GB). The Y40 comes standard with a 256GB SSD and the Y50 comes standard with a 1TB hybrid drive. Both are only .9 inches thick. They respectively weight 4.85 pounds and 5.68 pounds. Neither makes use of an optical drive.[38] The Y40 and Y50 were announced at the 2014 International CES in Las Vegas and went on sale in the United States in May of the same year.[38]

In a review for PC World, Hayden Dingman wrote, "In terms of gaming performance, Lenovo’s Y50 is one of the best laptops in its class. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a portable gaming rig on a budget. Unfortunately, Lenovo compromised several key components—the keyboard, trackpad, and (most importantly) the display—in order to offer the Y50 at a mid-range price. Hook up a mouse, keyboard, and external display and you’ll have a solid gaming machine. If you can’t tolerate those compromises, you might have to bite the bullet and spend more money for a competitor’s offering." [40]

In a review for LAPTOP, Sherri L. Smith wrote, "Lenovo continues to impress me with its ability to offer gaming laptops at affordable prices. For $949, shoppers get a sleek-looking 14-inch notebook with solid overall performance and long battery life. However, while the AMD Radeon R9 M275 GPU isn't a lightweight, you won't be fragging or questing at the maximum settings. I also wish the notebook featured a better display and keyboard." [41]

The IdeaPad Y500 was released in the first week of January 2013, after Lenovo announced it in late 2012. The Y500 is a Modular laptop, where the BD/DVD drive[42] could be switched out for adding another Graphics card,[43] another Hard Drive,[44] or another exhaust fan.[45] Y500 Specifications:

The IdeaPad U110 was an 11.1-inch laptop, a first for Lenovo in the United States.[46] The most striking feature of the laptop was the red top lid with a flowery pattern on it – another first for a Lenovo laptop.[47] The keyboard also differed from traditional Lenovo keyboards with its glossy, closely set keys.[48]

Lenovo IdeaPad U160

The laptops available in the IdeaPad U Series are the U260 and the U460. The U150, U350, and U450p are listed, and indicated as being available from resellers.[49]

The Lenovo U300s, also known as an Ultrabook, is a very light notebook computer.

The IdeaPad U530 has a low-voltage 4th-Gen Core i7-4510U processor, a 2GB Nvidia Geforce GT 730M graphics card, a 1080p display with a multi-touch pane. It includes Windows 8.1, 8GB RAM and a 1TB hybrid hard drive with a 16GB mSATA SSD, 3 USB ports (one USB 3.0), HDMI and a multi-card reader, dual-band 802.11bgn, and as well as Bluetooth 4.0.

The machine is 5.07 lbs, 0.86 inches thick, and has between six and ten hours of battery life depending on usage. Other features include its backlit keyboard, stereo speakers with Dolby Home Theater, and motion control.[50]

The IdeaPad Z Series laptops were designed primarily for entry-level multimedia users.[51] The first Z Series IdeaPad laptops were the Z360, Z460 and Z560, with 13-inch, 14-inch, and 15-inch screens respectively.

Lenovo recently unveiled a $149 Windows 8.1 tablet at Mobile World Congress, called the IdeaPad MIIX 300. It is a mid-size tablet, weighing at 0.8 lbs. (360g), 0.4 inches (9.3mm) thick, and length and width will be 5.1 x 8.5 in. (130 x 215 mm). According to preliminary reviews, other features include pixel density of about 188 ppi and has an IPS screen which supports wide viewing angles. It has a micro-USB port and an on-screen Windows button. Powered by a quad-core Atom Bay Trail chip, the MIIX 300 will provide 2 GB of RAM, and internal storage capacity will top out at 64 GB. It will come with Windows 8.2 with Bing and a year’s subscription to Office 365. Battery life is around 7 hours for a single charge.[54]

On December 9, 2014, Lenovo announced a major recall for its Ideapad power cords due to fire and burn hazard. According to the company, the hazard is was associated with its LS-15 power cords manufactured between February 2011 and December 2011 and sold in the UAE between February 2011 and June 2012. A company statement cautioned its UAE customers in a statement, “If a customer believes that the IdeaPad notebook power cord is affected, the customer should immediately remove and stop using the power cord. Customers should then cut the unplugged cord in half using a pair of scissors and dispose of it in recycle or waste bins.” [55]

In addition, “In the US alone, it had recalled more than half a million power cords in December last year due to overheating, sparking, melting, and burning factors.”[55]

In 2013, a lawsuit was filed against Lenovo for allegedly selling defective machines, specifically the IdeaPad U310 and U410 laptops. Customers claimed the Wi-Fi either was slow or did not work. “The lawsuit assumed 83,000 members who purchased the U310 and U410 as part of the class.” As a result, Lenovo announced that the would refund $100 or issue a voucher for $250 to the owners of the defective machines. In addition, they said it would reimburse customers that spent their own money to get Wi-Fi issues repaired. According to court documents, Lenovo had knowledge of the defect and later issued a design update to "ensure a more consistent wireless performance in all customer environments.”[56]

^ ab"Lenovo IdeaPad Hands-On Roundup". For starters, the design of the IdeaPads marks a significant change for Lenovo. Unlike the "all business" classic ThinkPad line that Lenovo inherited from IBM, the IdeaPads have a sleek, refined look with a very consumer-focused feel.

^"Lenovo IdeaPad Hands-On Roundup". The glossy screens feature a flush-mount bezel which makes the transition from LCD to keyboard look incredibly smooth. Speaking of keyboards, the keyboards on both the Y510 and the Y710 have a distinctive "ThinkPad feel" when typing ... despite the loss of the iconic red trackpoint in the middle of the keyboard.

^"Lenovo IdeaPad Hands-On Roundup". Speaking of keyboards, the keyboards on both the Y510 and the Y710 have a distinctive "ThinkPad feel" when typing ... despite the loss of the iconic red trackpoint in the middle of the keyboard. The touchpad and touchpad buttons were also smooth and responsive.

^"IdeaPad S10 Release delayed". It seems that the Lenovo IdeaPad S10′s release date has possibly been delayed by two months. Customers that pre-ordered the S10 were expecting it to be released on 9 September. However, some buyers have been tracking the status of their order and have noticed that the status was not updating throughout the day. In fact, the order status for pre-orders wasn’t updated by Lenovo until a day after the due release date. The status then showed an expected release date of November 18th.

^"Lenovo IdeaPad U110 Hands-on". The most striking thing about the IdeaPad U110 design-wise is probably the lid, it's red and has sort of a flowery pattern to it -- nothing like we've seen in a Lenovo notebook before.

^"Lenovo IdeaPad U110 Hands-on". The next rather striking thing is the keyboard. It's very shiny and very different to any other Lenovo keyboard I've ever used. Notice that the keys are flushed right up against each other and the keyboard has a glossy finish.

^"Lenovo IdeaPad z460 Laptop". Be it entry-level or mainstream multimedia, Lenovo’s IdeaPad series of laptops has something for everyone. If you want gaming to be part of your multimedia experience, the IdeaPad Y series, such as the IdeaPad Y560, is good, and for entry-level multimedia users, there’s the IdeaPad Z series.